


Disguise

by telperion_15



Category: Primeval
Genre: Fear, Ficlet, First Kiss, M/M, Minor Injuries, Missing Scene, Repressing Emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-29
Updated: 2012-01-29
Packaged: 2017-10-30 07:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/329282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/telperion_15/pseuds/telperion_15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lester's not fooling anyone - least of all Cutter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Disguise

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for episode 2.06.

“So you are human, after all.”

Lester jumped visibly and then turned to face Cutter, the customary sneer not quite papering over the cracks in the façade.

“What?”

“You’re frightened,” Cutter stated. “You were frightened then, and you’re frightened now.”

Lester made a dismissive noise. “I didn’t show Leek any fear, so what makes you think I’m going to show it to you?”

“Because even you can’t keep all that inside. You make this great show of being a cold, unflappable bastard. But I’ve seen what’s underneath the mask now. You might try to hide it away again, but I’ll know. I’ll know it’s there.”

“Shit!”

Lester’s fist hit the glass top of his desk with a loud thud, sending cracks spider-webbing across the surface. For the second time that day he was bleeding, and Cutter thought the expression on his face made him look oddly vulnerable. He stepped across the room and caught Lester’s hand as he was raising it to his lips.

“Let me look at that.”

Lester dragged the hand away. “I’m fine.”

“Well, clearly that’s not true.” Cutter snatched the hand back, holding Lester’s wrist in a vice-like grip. “It doesn’t look too bad. No stitches needed.” He could feel Lester’s pulse racing under his fingers, and he looked up sympathetically. The man was clearly in a bad way.

But Lester’s expression surprised him. Yes, there was fear there, but there was also something else…speculation? Curiosity?

Without really thinking, Cutter leaned forward slightly and caught Lester’s lips under his own. Lester made a small noise that could have been interpreted as encouraging, and Cutter leaned in a little more.

It was slow and undemanding, more comforting than romantic, and when Cutter withdrew he could see that some of the fear had receded from Lester’s eyes. But not all of it.

“Maybe you need to talk to someone about this. These kinds of things can have deep-seated effects. You need to get some closure…”

“If you so much as even _think_ the words ‘post-traumatic stress disorder’, you’re fired,” Lester hissed. “The only closure I need is to see Leek’s head on a spike.” Then his anger faded a little. “Besides, who would I talk to?”

Sliding his hand out of Cutter’s loosened grip, he adjusted his tie, flinching slightly as he knocked the gauze hidden under his shirt.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a traitor to catch.”

Cutter watched him as he strode down to the atrium, head up, shoulders squared, not a hair out of place. It was a good disguise.

But not quite good enough.


End file.
